New Ulm weekly review., 1887-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
The most important event of the past
week at the Capitol was the meetirg.
and organization of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, and it's entrance
upon duty. Everything wears q look
of activity at the temporary headquar
ters of the new court, which consist of a
suite Of rooms in a building on + street.
Messengers are running to and fro all
dav long, and the ante-room is filled
with crowd of people anxious to in
terview. the new officials.
The latter are having all the trouble
that was predicted would be theirs. and
that belongs to every official who has
the making of an appointment. They
are besieged with letters and personal
applications for office from every state
in the Union. The first discussion of
the Commissioners over that intricate
piece of legislation which they are called
upon to interpret. referred to the''Long
and Short Haul'' clause. Judge Coo
ley the President of the Commission,
who is Republican, is admitted by the
other members to know more about law
and railroad matters than all of them
put together. Therefore there was no
contest over his election to the chair
manship.
The National Drill committee is now
very busy. The entries have all been
closed, and now the work Of schedul-
ing is being pushed as fast as possible.
Besides the commands entered, regi-
ments, batallions, batteries of artillery,
cadet corps, zouaVe companies and a
large number of band and drum corps,
the number of Individual competitors is
estimated at about 160, and many more
will contest in the rifle practice.
The committee Of arrangements is
very sanguine that the coming show
will eclipse anything of the kind that
has ever occurred in this country, and
as to the telegram from Montgomery,
Ala, in regard to the color line ques-
ton, they think it is exaggerated, and
that it will be overcome in time. Mr..
DeLeon, the secretary of the Drill com.
mittee, is of the opinion that outside of
Washington there is not a colored q mill
tary company which can raise enough
money to make the expensive trip, and
if they can do that, it would be difficult
to pass inspection.
Some weeks ago there were conjec-
lures rs to the disposition of entries
known to come from colored militia
companies, many persons intimating
that if they were allowed to compete it
would have the tendency to keep out
many of the white organizations. AT
that time the manager said that all en-
tries received in proper form, duly
signed and recorded, should receive the
same attention., and that ii the Capital
City Guards, of Washington, filled the
requirements they could compete just
the same rs the famous ChickasaW
Guards. 4
A National Drill could not make a
color requirement when the laws Of the
country say otherwise. The sequel of
the news from Alabama that the Greys
and the True Blues would withdraw
from the Drill because of the entry of
three colored companies has yet to be
unraveled, but the hope is expressed at
headquarters that common sense will
prevail among the competing Southern
militia.
The promotion Of Messrs. Fairchild
and Maynard to be Secretary and AS
olSGtut oCCI0UtsAy VI cilO AlOloulS. was
received with expressions of satisfaction
from the employees Of the Department.
More than thousand of their subordi-
mates called to express congratulations
and flowers. notes and kilograms of
congratulation have poured in. Mr.,
Fairchild, who has ever been an ac-
tive politician, is exceedingly popular
with those under him. He is very ac-
cessible too. He makes habit of Keep
ing the door of his office open at all
hours of the day, and sits with his face
toward it.
There is constant complaint from the
sight-seers who are always hurrying
around Washington by the Thousand
| that the Government Departments are
closed to visitors after two o'clock P.
M. It is perfectly proper to exclude
all callers during business hours, but
none of the clerks are interfered with
by mere sight-seers. It is a serious
Inconvenience and disappointment
sometimes to strangers who are here
only for q few days. and are trying to
see as much as possible in that time, to
beshut out so early in the day from
many places Of interest.
| Da.ocooGia2nc 0f the Rnua1 nf